When an automobile or other vehicle has a collision, the impact sometimes causes damage to the fuel tank. If the impact is so severe as to deform the fuel tank to cause it to rupture or otherwise causes the fuel tank to rupture, fuel may leak. In most cases, it is preferred that the fuel leakage be downward toward the ground and not upward toward a part of the vehicle where a hot area, spark, or the like may ignite the fuel. Sometimes during such a collision which causes a compressive impact to the fuel tank, a rupture in the top of the fuel tank can allow fuel to be sprayed upward, which, as was noted above, often is more hazardous than would be the case if the fuel were to be sprayed or to leak in a downward direction.
Also, the sloshing of fuel in a vehicle fuel tank, as the vehicle changes attitude and/or direction, is undesirable. First of all, in ordinary operation of a vehicle, sloshing noise is disturbing. Secondly, a rupture in the side of the fuel tank during a collision and sloshing of fuel toward the rupture undesirably results in fuel spraying out through the side with some fuel spraying down and some up. Thus, it would be desirable to minimize sloshing of fuel in the tank.
A conventional bladder that forms an essentially sealed chamber in the fuel tank has the disadvantage that if it is pierced, the bladder tends no longer to function for its intended purpose. However, in accordance with the present invention, plural chambers that are not entirely sealed prevent sloshing and provide controlled discharge of fuel and are operative for intended function even in the case that one or more of the chambers tends to be deformed and/or broken.